FBI wants teachers to inform on students who like Thomas Jefferson too much

Teachers are in a unique position to inform on their students who they think may harbor anti-government beliefs and attitudes. This may sound like propaganda from Nazi Germany, but it's not, it's from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to educators across the country. Their latest initiative is to encourage educators to inform on their students.

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - The FBI has taken a page from the Nazi playbook and added it to the high school curriculum across the country. Teachers are literally being encouraged to report students who express "anti-government" or "anarchist" beliefs.

This stunning development comes as the FBI seeks ways to stop and prevent terrorism, especially in schools where thousands of people are vulnerable at any given moment. Still, the notion of teachers informing on students because of their beliefs is disconcerting.

The unclassified FBI document reads in part: "High school students are ideal targets for recruitment by violent extremists seeking support for their radical ideologies, foreign fighter networks, or conducting acts of targeted violence within our borders. High schools must remain vigilant in educating their students about catalysts that drive violent extremism and the potential consequences of embracing extremist belief."

So far so good. But then the document suggests public school educators, "are in a unique position to affect change, impart affirmative messaging, or facilitate intervention activities...observing and assessing concerning behaviors and communications...of students embracing extremist ideologies."

Part of the problem is what the FBI considers "extreme ideologies." Included in their definition are "Constitutionalists," "freemen," and yes, people who criticize the existing monetary system, people opposed to paying taxes, as well as people who believe "conspiracy theories."

So teachers are not only to look for kids who might flirt with notions like "jihad" and "holy war" but who also have a strong preference for the political philosophies of Thomas Jefferson.

The stifling effect this could have on the formation of children's minds is chilling. Imagine a child who cannot ask too many questions about 9/11, or a kid who asks why the government does so much when the Constitution appears to authorize so little? What about a student who wants to do a report on the terrorist attacks in Benghazi, or who feels ordering people to buy insurance under the threat of fines is an excessive abuse of power? What about a youth who likes shooting as a family hobby? Does a "Don't Tread on Me" flag or sticker make a kid a terrorist?

According to the FBI it seems so.

It appears that our fear over terrorism is pushing us to develop a culture of informing on those who think differently than we do. Never mind the whole thing about the free market of ideas and how the electorate needs to be informed. The only concern is safety!

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So with this latest circular from the FBI, the terrorists can call their victory complete. They no longer need to hijack planes or blow anything up. At this point, we are terrorizing ourselves more than bin Laden could have dreamed. Students and teachers are now secret enemies in a secret war that doesn't exist.

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